On the go and no time to finish that story right now? Your News is the place for you to save content to read later from any device. Register with us and content you save will appear here so you can access them to read later.

Kalyn Ponga received the ultimate accolade when his fellow NRL players voted the 20-year-old as the best player of the 2018 season.

But the Knights fullback, who can shred defences with ridiculous ease, has already talked about switching codes and pursuing an All Black jersey and Steve Hansen has responded by leaving the door ajar.

Ponga's current club league contract, worth a moderate $650,000 a year plus bonuses, finishes at the end of 2021. So while the timing wouldn't be perfect for the 2023 World Cup, it still isn't bad and Ponga has plenty of time on his side.

Ponga, whose father is Kiwi, was born in West Australia but spent a lot of his childhood in Palmerston North.

To my mind, this is the position where Ponga would turn rugby on its head.

The problem is, Ponga would only have just two seasons to learn the ins and outs of top-level rugby before the 2023 World Cup.

Barrett, Richie Mo'unga and Damian McKenzie could all still be in the frame, although Barrett will consider massive overseas offers after the tournament in Japan next year.

On the plus side, Ponga is a budding goalkicker and landed 27 goals for the Knights in 2018 at a 69 per cent success rate.

2) Fullback

The position he plays for the Knights, and where most people will see Ponga fitting into rugby.

With his speed, stunning footwork and ability to glide through holes, he would be a devastating runner in the No 15 jersey.

That he beat fellow star fullbacks Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Valentine Holmes for the RLPA award says it all.

Ben Smith's amazing All Black career is near an end, and Jordie Barrett is much more of a midfielder, his preferred position. Fullback is wide open, and Ponga is just the man.

But he'd better hurry. There's a young bloke named Will Jordan in the Crusaders system who insiders say is the Next Big Thing. Tasman Mako Jordan even looks a bit like Ponga, from the way he plays to the headgear.

And if Jordan isn't the NBT, talent springs from everywhere in New Zealand rugby.